Why war between athletes, White House didn't spread to Israel - analysis
Why has the trend of sports being marred by politics not spread to Israel, where so many other positive and negative American fads have been adopted?
By GIL HOFFMANHapoel TEL AVIV’s Yam Madar (left) got the best of fellow NBA Draft prospect Deni Avdija as the Reds topped Maccabi Tel Aviv in Game 2 of the their quarterfinal duel to set up a win-or-go-home contest tonight for a spot in the Final Four.(photo credit: DOV HALICKMAN PHOTOGRAPHY)
The drafting of Deni Avdija and Yam Madar by the Washington Wizards and Boston Celtics, respectively, in Wednesday night’s NBA Draft united Israelis like other sports successes in the past.Congratulations came from across the political spectrum in a reminder of the power of sports to unify the population – at least in Israel.But that has not been happening lately in America. Individual athletes started skipping traditional visits to the White House for championship-winning teams when Barack Obama was president.Under President Donald Trump, entire teams stopped coming. Trump’s fights with athletes started with quarterback Colin Kaepernick, continued with NBA stars Steph Curry and LeBron James and then with women’s teams. Now it is routine for athletes to kneel during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racism.So why has the trend of marring sports with politics not spread to Israel, where so many other positive and negative American fads have been adopted? Veteran sports observers in Israel gave a number of answers.Sports and politics have always been intertwined in Israel without confrontations, they said. Moshe Dayan would shake hands with Maccabi Tel Aviv players before every game. Presidents would host winning teams, and prime ministers would call medal winners with no protests.There has always been racism from sports fans directed at Arab and black athletes, but it has not caused battles with politicians. In 2004, the Arab soccer team Bnei Sahknin won the State Cup and was feted at the President’s Residence.The only example of an athlete becoming an activist while playing was Beitar Jerusalem goalkeeper Ariel Harush, who tried to level the playing field for Muslim athletes and then had to leave for another team, veteran sports commentator Zoheir Bahaloul recalled.“Sportsmen are admired around the world and are supposed to be influencers, but in Israel they don’t want to be controversial,” the former Labor MK said. “Our athletes don’t want to be torches for change in society or offend anyone. They want to be consensual.”While Bahaloul called Israeli athletes “cowards” and James “courageous,” former Israeli basketball star Tal Brody said the American trend should not spread to Israel.“An athlete can be productive in so many ways that are not political,” said Brody, who ran for the Knesset with Likud long after his career ended. “I am glad we have a much more respectful atmosphere here. We always had people in different parties, but no one ever thought of objecting to going to any office because of anyone being from a different party. I voted Likud but had no problem going to Yitzhak Rabin. I even played tennis with him and his wife.”Army Radio sports director Idan Kweller said he thinks the reason athletes have not fought with politicians in Israel is that they fear boycotts and angry fans. Some sportsmen may sympathize with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu because they themselves receive bad press, he suggested.“They are afraid of the ‘cancel culture,’” Kweller said. “They already face swearing just for being on the wrong team and wearing the wrong colors. So why jump in the deep water? The minority players aren’t interested in causing scandals or identifying with one struggle or another. None of them has an illusion of being a leader like LeBron is. Our nation is divided enough without soccer players joining protests.”Veteran basketball star Doron Shefa said he was proud that there are five Arabs on the national soccer team and that no one makes a big deal about whether they sing the national anthem.“We don’t have the same problems as the US,” he said. “In Israel, sports bring hearts closer.”
